Amalgamator



NTTED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

VILLARD M. FULLER, OEGOLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO HENRY WV.A HALLETT, OF SAME PLACE, AND HENRY LAUGHLIN, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

AIVIALGAIVIATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of-Letters Patent No. 624,894, dated May 9, 1899.

Application filed May 21,1897. Serial No. 637,486. (No model.) l

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLAED M. FULLER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Colorado Springs, in the county of El Paso and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amalgamators; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in amalgamators, my object being to provide an apparatus of this class capable of catching and saving the ne iioat or flour values normally held in suspension by the water.

`Wihle my improved amalgamating apparatus is especially adapted for use in treating placer material, it may also be employed to advantage in treating pulverized ores carrying values too iine to be separated by the ordinary gravity processes.

To these ends the invention consists of the features hereinafter described and claimed, all 4of which will be fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete apparatus. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken through the horizontal pipe and the inclosed agitating devices, the parts being shown on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the same. Fig. 4. is a detail View of one of the agitatingcollars.

Similar reference characters indicating corresponding parts in the views, let the numeral 5 designate a stationary horizontal pipe suitably mounted on standards 6. Vithin this pipe is located a rotatable shaft 7, one extremity of Which is journaled, in a socket formed in the adjacent head 5L of the pipe, while the other extremity passes through a stuiiing-box 8, attached to the opposite pipehead and journaled in a suitable support 9.v

To this extremity of the shaft 7 is attached a suitable pulley 10, which may be connected by means of a belt with any suitable motor for rotating the shaft. To this shaft are applied collars 12, having lugs or projections 12a.V These collars are placed close together on the pipe and may, if desired, be formed integral therewith. The collars when detachable are secured by set-screws 13. The collars are preferably so arranged ou the shaft that the agitating-lugs are' relatively staggered or out of line with each other in order to increase their agitating function. The space surrounding the shaft and agitating-collars Within the pipe is filled'with mercury. The material to be treated is forced through this mercury containing 'pipe by hydrostatic pressure, the object being to bring every particle of amalgamable metal into intimate relation or contact with the mercuryin the pipe. This material is mixed with water to form a pulp of proper consistency and fed from a tank 14, sufficiently elevated to give the required pressure. this tankinto a vertical pipe or conduit 15, whose lower extremity opens into oneend of the pipe 5. The pulp being discharged into the pipe under a suitable pressure, a portion of the mercury in the pipe is displaced by the pulp. This displaced mercury passes out of the pipe 5 into a tub 17 by Way'of a pipe 16, connected with the opposite extremity of the pipe 5. One extremity of this pipe 16 is connected with the bottom of the pipe 5, while the opposite extremity leads to the bottom of the tub 17, which is so located that the bottom of its chamber lies in the same plane with the ,inner surface of the top of the pipe. Hence as soon as the pulp begins to enter the pipe 5 by Way of the conduit 15 a corresponding quantity of mercury `will be displaced and pass into the tub 17 by Way of the pipe 16.

The feed is so regulated that the pipe 5 contains at all times a suitable proportion of pulp. The exact quantity, however, is not The material passes from material 'so far as the operation of the apparatus is concerned, since the pipe will always be full whether the proportion of pulp is increased or diminished. If the proportion of pulp is increased, more mercury will be displaced and pass into the tub 17. If the proportion of pulp be diminished, enough mer- IOO cury will return from the tub 17 to make up the diiference. I-Ience the pipe is always full of mercury and pulp in greater or less relative proportions, the apparatus being automatic or self-regulating in this regard.

The tailings or gangue is discharged from the pipe 15 by way of an outlet-conduit 18, leading from the top of the pipe 5 and discharging into the top of the tub 17. The height of this tailings-conduit18 is considerably less than that of the feed-conduit 15. These tailings, which are of less specific gravity than the mercury, will pass out of the pipe 18 and fall into the top of the tub, since their exit by way of the pipe 16 is prevented by the gravity of the mercury 19 in the tub 17-that is to say, the height of the pipe 18 must be so regulated that the gravity of the mercury in the tub 17 will overbalance the pressure required to raise the tailings to the top of the pipe 1S and discharge them thence into the tub 17. Hence there is a continuous discharge of tailings into the tub by way of the pipe 18 during the operation of the apparatus. Some globules of mercury may be carried out with the tailings into the tub. If so, they will at once join the mercury in the bottom of the tub by reason of their superior gravity. The tailings will be discharged from the tub through an overflow or outlet orifice located above the' level to which the mercury will at any time rea'ch.

The tub 17 is provided with a rotatable agitating device 20, which keeps the tailings in such a state of agitation that they cannot pack in the tub. The tub is provided with a series of outlet-pipes 21, arranged one above another. The tailings are continuously discharged from the uppermost pipe during the operation of the apparatus.

When it is desired to clean up or withdraw the amalgam from the tub 17 and the pipe 5, the lower outlets 21 may be opened in succession and the tailings drawn off down to the level of the mercury. The amalgam is then drawn off from the tub and the pipe 5 intoa suitable tank 22 by opening a valve or stop-cock 23, connected with the pipe 1G.

'While treating ordinary placer material,the apparatus may, if desired, be operated several weeks before the mercury will be so laden with mineral1 that a clean-up will be necessary. Hence the apparatus is continuous as well as automatic in operation.

The length of the pipe 5 may be regulated according to the speed with which it is desired to force the pulp therethrough or according to the required capacity of the apparatus. The pulp should be left in the mercury-containin g pipe a suitable length of time in order to insure the bringing of all the mineral particles in contact with the mercury. Hence if the pulp is driven rapidly through the pipe the length of the latter must be greater than when the pulp is forced more slowly through the pipe.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In combinationin an amalgamator,ahori zontal pipe, a rotary shaft therein having agitating projections extending therefrom with free spaces between to permit the pulp to eX- ert a pressure freely longitudinally of the pipe and between the projections of the shaft, an elevated pulp-tank elevated at a suitable distance above the horizontal shaft to produce a y hydrostatic pressure therein, a pipe connecting the same with one end of the amalgamating-pipe and an elevated :receptacle for the displaced mercury having a pipe connection between the same and the end of the horizontal pipe opposite to that with which the feedpipe for the pulp connects, substantially as described.

2. In combination, a horizontal pipe, ashaft therein having projections, means for rotating the shaft, an elevated pulp-tank to place the material in the horizontal pipe under a positive hydrostatic pressure to force the material therethrough, a pipe connecting the same with the horizontal pipe at one end thereof, a receptacle for the mercury elevated in relation to the horizontal pipe, a connecting-pipe extending from the said mercuryreceptacle to the end of the horizontal pipe opposite that with which the pulp-tank is con- Y nected, and a tailings-pipe extending from said opposite end of the horizontal pipe to discharge into the mercury-receptacle, substantially as described.

3. In combination, a horizontal pipe, ashaft therein having agitatin g projections thereon, a pulp-tank and feed-pipe at one end of the horizontal pipe, a lnercury-receptacle and tailings-pipe at the other end, said mercuryreceptacle being elevated with respect to the horizontal pipe and connected to the lower side of the same while the tailings-pipe is connected to the upper side and discharges into .the said receptacle,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLARD M. FULLER.

Witnesses:

EDITH HIMswoRTI-r, G. J. ROLLANDET.

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